Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to express dates in French! Whether you want to master the formal or informal way of stating dates, we have got you covered. Additionally, we will provide you with essential tips, examples, and even touch on regional variations. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
Formal Way of Saying Dates
When it comes to formal expressions of dates in French, it is crucial to follow a prescribed format. The general structure is as follows:
Day + Cardinal Number (Number) + Month + Year
For example:
- lundi 5 octobre 2022 (Monday, 5th October 2022)
- vendredi 21 avril 2023 (Friday, 21st April 2023)
- mercredi 7 septembre 2024 (Wednesday, 7th September 2024)
Day
Here are the French names for the days of the week:
- lundi (Monday)
- mardi (Tuesday)
- mercredi (Wednesday)
- jeudi (Thursday)
- vendredi (Friday)
- samedi (Saturday)
- dimanche (Sunday)
Remember to capitalize the first letter of the day.
Month
Here are the French names for the months of the year:
- janvier (January)
- février (February)
- mars (March)
- avril (April)
- mai (May)
- juin (June)
- juillet (July)
- août (August)
- septembre (September)
- octobre (October)
- novembre (November)
- décembre (December)
Again, remember to capitalize the first letter of the month.
Year
When stating the year, you can simply say the four-digit number:
- 2022 (deux mille vingt-deux)
- 2023 (deux mille vingt-trois)
- 2024 (deux mille vingt-quatre)
Informal Way of Saying Dates
The informal way of expressing dates in French adopts a slightly different structure. Instead of using the cardinal numbers for the day, you use the ordinal numbers:
Day + Ordinal Number (Number) + Month
For example:
- le 5 octobre (the 5th October)
- le 21 avril (the 21st April)
- le 7 septembre (the 7th September)
The rest of the elements such as the days of the week, months, and year remain the same as in the formal format.
Additional Tips for Dates in French
Now that you have a basic understanding of how to express dates in French, here are some additional tips to keep in mind:
1. Articles: In the formal format, you need to include the definite article “le” before the day when using ordinal numbers.
2. Gender Agreement: Be aware of gender agreement when using ordinal numbers. For example, “le 1er mai” (the 1st of May) becomes “la 1ère mars” (the 1st of March) for the feminine month.
3. Avoid Using “le” Twice: When stating the day in the formal format, avoid repeating “le” before the date. Instead of “le 5 juin,” simply say “5 juin.”
4. Abbreviating Months: In informal situations, it’s common to abbreviate the months. For example, “janvier” becomes “janv.,” “février” becomes “févr.,” and so on.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have now learned how to confidently express dates in French. Remember to follow the prescribed formats for formal and informal settings and keep in mind the essential tips we shared. With practice, you will become more familiar with these expressions and enhance your French language skills. Happy date speaking!
